Guide · Updated
An island on a Mac without a notch
Short answer. Only MacBook Pros since 2021 and MacBook Airs since M2 have a notch. MacBook Neo, MacBook Air M1, older 13″ MacBook Pros, iMacs and external displays don't. You can still get an island on them: Notchy, Seam, Vibe Island, Crest, MacNotch, Droppy, Perch and SparkU draw it at the top edge of the screen. They differ in how the island looks at rest, how you open it, and whether you can pick the screen.
Which Macs have no notch
- MacBook Neo (2026). The display has rounded top corners; the camera sits in the bezel.
- MacBook Air with M1 and every Intel MacBook Air.
- MacBook Pro 13″ — every model, including M1 and M2 with the Touch Bar.
- iMac, plus Mac mini, Mac Studio and Mac Pro with any display.
- An external display on a notched MacBook — and the MacBook itself with the lid closed.
The notch is on the 14″ and 16″ MacBook Pro since October 2021, the 13″ MacBook Air with M2 and later, and every 15″ MacBook Air.
How a notchless island is different
On a notched Mac the island has a natural home: the black strip with the camera that it expands around. Without a notch, the top edge belongs to the menu bar, and an app has to settle three things:
- What it looks like at rest. Some draw a fake black notch, some show a small iPhone-style pill, some hide completely until there's something to show.
- How you open it. Move the pointer to the top edge, click, or press a hotkey.
- Which screen it lives on when you have several.
macOS has nothing built in: the only live activities Apple shows on a Mac come from your iPhone, in the menu bar.
Which apps can do it
Capabilities per the developers' sites and pages as of October 15, 2026.
| App | Price | How it works without a notch |
|---|---|---|
| Notchy | Free | A pill: adjustable size, top offset, full-screen behavior, and a choice of screen |
| Seam | $29 one-time | "Island mode" on any screen: iMac, Mac mini, external displays |
| Vibe Island | $19.99 one-time | A compact floating bar at the top center. AI agents only |
| Crest | Free; Pro from $2.99/month | A small pill at the top. Mostly AI agents |
| MacNotch | $22.99 one-time or $3.99/month | Works without a notch |
| Droppy | $9.99 one-time | An island plus a menu bar icon |
| Perch | Free; extras by subscription or one-time | Adapts to notched and notchless Macs |
| SparkU | One-time purchase, price not announced yet | A pill or a status strip that hides at rest; screen choice. Experimental — details below |
Not stated. Atoll's README lists only notched MacBook Pros. Boring Notch and Alcove don't describe notchless support on their official pages — check before you buy.
How SparkU does it
First, where we're weaker:
- The notchless mode is experimental, and it's labeled that way in Settings.
- There's no hotkey yet. If another display sits above the island's screen, the pointer slides onto it, and you can't open the island with the edge gesture.
- "On click" mode has no visible target yet — you need to know where to click.
- SparkU isn't out yet: it launches in spring 2027, in beta now.
What it looks like. No painted-on black notch. At rest it's a small iPhone-style pill or a status strip, sized to match the menu bar. When nothing is happening, the island hides, and it appears when there's something to show: an agent waiting for an answer, music playing, a timer running.
How to open it. Move the pointer to the center of the top edge and hold it there for a split second. Or switch to "On click".
Which screen. "Automatic" — the notched screen first, then the built-in one, then the main one. Or pick a specific display. Unplug it and the island moves to another screen, then comes back when the display does.
What's inside — the same as on a notched Mac: AI agent questions you answer from the island, music with artwork, a file shelf with AirDrop, calendar, Pomodoro, CPU load, AirPods battery, Discord.
How to choose
- Free, with a choice of screen — Notchy.
- Minimal, on an iMac or Mac mini — Seam.
- AI agents only — Vibe Island or Crest.
- An all-day island with your agents inside — join the SparkU beta. Keep in mind our notchless mode is still experimental.
FAQ
Does MacBook Neo have a notch? No. MacBook Neo has rounded top corners on its display and the camera in the bezel. The only way to get an island on it is a third-party app.
Will Apple make an island for Macs without a notch? There's no sign of it. According to Bloomberg, Apple's island will come only with a new OLED MacBook Pro. More in the guide Dynamic Island for the Mac you already have.
Can I put the island on an external display instead of the MacBook? Yes, if the app lets you pick the screen: Notchy and SparkU do. For the others, check their settings.
Will the island get in the way of the menu bar? It lives in the center, while menus and icons sit left and right. On a narrow screen with a long app menu the center can get crowded — an island that hides at rest helps there.
Sources (as of October 15, 2026): MacBook Neo specs; the listed apps' websites and GitHub pages.